Planograph co



V. P. ZAPIS.

LACING DEVICE.

APPLICATION man MAR. 11, 1919.

Patented July 8, 1919.

IN VENTOR Vassilos PZapLs BY W12 mm 77% ATTORNEY HIE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60-, WASHINGTON, D. c

VASSILOS 1?. ZAPIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Ill-AGING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Application filed March 11, 1919. Serial No. 281,904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VASSILOS P. ZAPIS, a subject of the King of Greece, residing at 121 WVest 123rd street, New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lacing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shoes and particularly to lacing devices therefor.

An object of my invention is the provision of a lacing device in which the usual shoe lace is employed in such a manner as to allow the same to be lifted from portions of the lacing device whereby it is lengthened to permit the removal of the shoe from the foot, thereby eliminating the necessity of the ordinary unlacing process and allowing the shoe to be easily and quickly removed.

I will describe one form of lacing device embodying my invention and W ill then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing a shoe in phantom and having applied thereto one form of lacing device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, S designates a shoe of the ordinary construction, the upper 10 of which is provided with the usual opening 11 which is normally spanned by the tongue T. Secured to the tongue '1 at regular spaced intervals throughout the length thereof are plates P each of which in the present instance comprises a single length of suitable metal curved transversely to conform to the contour of the instep and provided at its medial portion with co-eXtensive arcuate grooves 12. As shown in Fig. 2, the groove 12 of the plate P is formed by bending the plate longitudinally at spaced points so that the bottom surface of the groove is flush with the bottom surface of the plate. As shown in this figure, the plate P is secured to the tongue T by means of rivets 13 which extend through the bottom wall of the groove and thus prevent the securing means from producing any unevenness in the appearance of the upper. The plates P are of such width that when the shoe is laced, the opposite ends thereof are interposed between the tongue T and the upper 10.

Arranged in alternate relation to the plates P are tabs or loops L which are preferably formed from a single length of flexible material such as leather or the like. These loops L are secured at their free ends, preferably by means of stitching, to the under side of the marginal edges of the upper 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, I also secure one of the loops L to the vamp of the shoe S to receive and maintain the intermediate portion of the lace in its proper position, as will be understood.

With the lacing device in active position, as shown in Fig. 1, the medial portion of the lace K is first trained through the loop L secured to the vamp of the shoe. The two stretches of lace are then trained through the first pair of loops L secured to the upper 10, then through groove 12 of the adjacent plate P, and then through the next pair of loops L and so on until the ends of the stretches extend beyond the uppermost pair of loops L. The ends are then pulled until the required tightness is secured to cause the upper to snugly engage the angle, whereupon they are tied in the usual manher.

To remove the shoe, it is only necessary to lift those portions of either stretch of the lace which are disposed within the grooves 12, as by such operation the lace is sufliciently lengthened to permit the spreading of the upper and the subsequent removal of' the shoe.

It will be obvious that when placing the shoe upon the foot, the portions of the lace K are not placed within the portions of the groove 12 until the foot has been inserted into the shoe, whereupon the two stretches of the lace are pulled until the required tightness is secured. By virtue of the formation of the grooves 12, the portions of the lace will remain within the grooves during and subsequent to this tightening operation.

From the foregoing description, it will be manifest that I have provided a lacing device which eliminates the tedious process of training the lace about or through eyelets, and thereby allows the shoe to be quickly and easily removed and replaced.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of lacing device embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A lacing device for shoes comprising grooved plates adapted to be secured to the tongue of the shoe, loops adapted to be secured to the upper of the shoe, and a lace trained through said loops and having portions thereof resting in said grooves 2. A lacing device for shoes comprising means for slidably securing the portions of 15 said lace between said plates to the upper of a shoe and laterally of said grooves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

YASSILOS P. ZAPIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, .by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

